The invention relates to compositions that can ameliorate or prevent male hormone deficiency and are useful as dietary supplements. These compositions contain yeast cells obtainable by growth in electromagnetic fields with specific frequencies and field strengths.
Testosterone levels in men decline with age. Testosterone deficiency has been associated with hip fracture and reduced bone mass in older men. Testosterone replacement therapy has been used to improve the level of this hormone.
Among various remedies, a number of botanical preparations have been used to restore erectile function, including ginseng, Ginkgo biloba, yohimbine (Pausinytalia yohimbe), and muira puama (Ptychopetoalum olacoides), a South American plant. L-arginine, a precursor of nitric oxide, and androstenedione also have application in male sexual function. Males who received testosterone had a significant increase in bioavailable testosterone concentration, hematocrit, right hand muscle strength and osteocalcin concentration. Treatment with the estrogen antagonist tamoxifen has been also shown to increase serum levels of testosterone in both mammal and oligozoospermic men. In addition, the anti-estrogen clomiphene is used to treat decreased libido, hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism and associated infertility.
This invention is based on the discovery that certain yeast cells can be activated by electromagnetic fields having specific frequencies and field strengths to increase serum levels of testosterone. Compositions comprising these activated yeast cells can therefore be used for treating male hormone deficiency or associated diseases in a subject (e.g., a human).
This invention embraces a composition comprising a plurality of yeast cells that have been cultured in an alternating electric field having a frequency in the range of about 10500 to 12000 MHz (e.g., 11210-11250 MHz) and a field strength in the range of about 100 to 600 mV/cm (e.g., 150-520 mV/cm). The yeast cells are cultured for a period of time sufficient to activate said plurality of yeast cells to treat male hormone deficiency or associated diseases in a subject. For instance, the cultured yeast cells when ingested can stimulate the growth (e.g., by at least 10% such as 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, one fold, five fold, ten fold, and fifteen fold) of the prostate, seminal vesicle, and glandulae preputiales, and increase (e.g., by at least 10% such as 20% and 200%) the secretion of testosterone in a mammal.
In one embodiment, the frequency and/or the field strength of the alternating electric field can be altered within the aforementioned ranges during said period of time. In other words, the yeast cells are exposed to a series of electromagnetic fields. An exemplary period of time is about 50-200 hours (e.g., 60-145 hours).
Also included in this invention is a composition comprising a plurality of yeast cells that have been cultured under acidic conditions in an alternating electric field having a frequency in the range of about 11000 to 12000 MHz (e.g., 11200-11250 MHz) and a field strength in the range of about 200 to 600 mV/cm (e.g., 240-520 mV/cm). In one embodiment, the yeast cells are exposed to a series of electromagnetic fields. An exemplary period of time is about 50-100 hours (e.g., 56-84 hours).
Yeast cells that can be included in this composition are available from the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center (xe2x80x9cCGMCCxe2x80x9d), a depository recognized under the Budapest Treaty (China Committee for Culture Collection of Microorganisms, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian, P.O. Box 2714, Beijing, 100080, China). Useful yeast species include, but are not limited to, those commonly used in food and pharmaceutical industries, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, Saccharomyces chevalieri, Saccharomyces delbrueckii, Saccharomyces exiguous, Saccharomyces fermentati, Saccharomyces logos, Saccharomyces mellis, Saccharomyces oviformis, Saccharomyces rosei, Saccharomyces rouxii, Saccharomyces sake, Saccharomyces uvarum, Saccharomyces willianus, Saccharomyces sp., Schizosaccharomyces octosporus, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Sporobolomyces roseus, Torulopsis candida, Torulopsis famia, Torulopsis globosa, Torulopsis inconspicua, Trichosporon behrendii, Trichosporon capitatum, Trichosporon cutaneum, Wickerhamia fluoresens, Candida arborea, Candida krusei, Candida lambica, Candida lipolytica, Candida parapsilosis, Candida pulcherrima, Candida rugousa, Candida tropicalis, Candida utilis, Crebrothecium ashbyii, Geotrichum candidum, Hansenula anomala, Hansenula arabitolgens, Hansenula jadinii, Hansenula saturnus, Hansenula schneggii, Hansenula subpelliculosa, Kloeckera apiculata, Lipomyces starkeyi, Pichia farinosa, Pichia membranaefaciens, Rhodosporidium toruloides, Rhodotorula glutinis, Rhodotorula minuta, Rhodotorula rubar, Rhodotorula aurantiaca, Saccharomycodes ludwigii, and Saccharomycodes sinenses. For instance, the yeast cells can be of the strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hansen AS2.375, AS2.501, AS2.502, AS2.503, AS2.504, AS2.535, AS2.558, AS2.560, AS2.561, AS2.562, or IFFI1048; or Saccharomyces carlsbergensis Hansen AS2.420 or AS2.444. Other useful yeast strains are illustrated in Table 1.
This invention further embraces a composition comprising a plurality of yeast cells, wherein said plurality of yeast cells have been activated to treat male hormone deficiency or associated diseases in a subject. Included in this invention are also methods of making these compositions.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Exemplary methods and materials are described below, although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present invention. All publications and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. The materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. Throughout this specification and claims, the word xe2x80x9ccomprise,xe2x80x9d or variations such as xe2x80x9ccomprisesxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ccomprisingxe2x80x9d will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, and from the claims.